Tongue Thrust
in Baton Rouge, LA
It’s cute when your baby’s tongue pokes out from their mouth, but if that continues to happen as they get older, it can lead to developmental challenges. Tongue thrust can make speech and feeding more difficult, and if left unaddressed, it can significantly impact a child’s comfort and confidence. Keep reading to learn more about tongue thrust, how it can affect your child’s development, and how our experts at Dynamic Therapy Specialists can help.
What Is Tongue Thrust?
Tongue thrust is a condition where the tongue is “thrust” or pushed against or through the teeth when it shouldn’t be. This is often seen when a child is swallowing, speaking, or even just breathing. This type of tongue movement can affect speech production and swallowing patterns. If left untreated, it can even affect tooth alignment and lead to dental problems.
What Causes Tongue Thrust?
Tongue thrust can have various causes, but the most common include:
- Thumb sucking or pacifier use
- Improper tongue posture or swallowing patterns
- Untreated tongue tie
- Allergies with chronic tonsil swelling
Signs and Symptoms of Tongue Thrust
Recognizing the signs of Tongue Thrust early is crucial for intervention and support. Common signs and symptoms may include:
- Difficulty swallowing or chewing food
- Speech difficulties, such as lisping or difficulty with articulation
- Mouth breathing (both while awake and while asleep)
- Frequent drooling
- Dental issues, such as misalignment or an open bite
How Can Tongue Thrust Impact Your Child’s Development?
Untreated tongue thrust may not seem like a big deal, but it can have lasting effects on your child’s overall development. The position of the tongue, even at rest, is important for proper speech and swallowing. Tongue thrust can make it difficult for your child to practice their speech sounds, which can make it hard for them to communicate their ideas. It can also affect their swallowing, which can make nursing or eating more difficult and lead to challenges with choking or gagging during mealtimes. Treatment for tongue thrust is simple, and at Dynamic Therapy Specialists, we make it fun for your child.
How We Address Tongue Thrust
At Dynamic Therapy Specialists, we take a holistic approach to pediatric therapy. Rather than simply teaching children how to compensate for the skills they struggle with, we take a bottom-up approach by focusing on remediation first. By evaluating the foundational areas of your child’s development, we can identify and address the root causes of their speech and feeding challenges.
Think of it this way: you have to learn to walk before you can learn to run. It’s not that you can’t learn how to run, but if you never learned how to walk first, you’ll be missing the basics that you need to support learning how to run. By prioritizing skill remediation over compensation, we empower children to build a strong foundation for future growth and development.
Schedule an Evaluation Today
If your child is struggling with tongue thrust, our team at Dynamic Therapy Specialists will go above and beyond to help. Call us at (225) 767-5032 to schedule an evaluation, and let’s work together to improve your child’s quality of life.